1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a relay, in particular for radio-frequency applications, of the type having at least one first contact electrically connected with at least one first conductor trace printed conductor, the first contact, in a contact position, being selectively connectable by a mechanical actuator with at least two second contacts that are electrically connected with at least one second conductor trace.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Relays are frequently used in radio-frequency engineering (in particular in power applications) as robust and technically less complicated components. As a single-unit solution for specific functionalities, relays are available in various forms that for the most part perform quite simple switching functions.
If the switching functions are more complex, however, (for example in radio-frequency power engineering), it is frequently necessary to use various available relays that must be interconnected and mounted in a more complicated manner so that the desired switching function can be realized. This is also costly since the special solutions require many components. Solutions with relays therefore frequently prove to be disadvantageous.
In order to avoid having to connect a number of relays into an assembly group in a complicated manner, individual solutions for special cases have also been proposed and developed in which the relay switching functions and the mechanism are integrated into a circuit board. The mechanism and the switching function are thereby very closely interlocked with one another and thus the relay can be used for only the special case for which it was developed.